The New York Giants are looking for weapons for quarterback Eli Manning, and they are reportedly bringing in wide receivers Wes Welker and Hakeem Nicks for workouts Tuesday, according to ESPN's Josina Anderson.
Welker, at one point, was arguably the best slot receiver in all of football, but over the past couple seasons his play has diminished. Last season with the Denver Broncos, Welker had 49 receptions for 464 yards, with two touchdowns.
Some believe Welker has been blackballed because of his history of concussions. Welker suffered three concussions from the fall of 2013 to the summer of 2014, and with new studies showing the significance of head trauma resulting from football, it is possible teams are second-guessing that liability. Welker could prove to be a good weapon for the Giants, but the major question for New York is if he is worth the risk.
The Giants are also reportedly bringing in Hakeem Nicks for a workout. Nicks played for the Giants for five seasons, and was a big part of the team that won the Super Bowl in 2011. That season, Nicks caught 76 passes for 1,192 yards, with seven touchdowns.
Since then his numbers have declined, but it's possible a reconnection with Manning is what Nicks needs. Although it seems the reunion in New York is unlikely, as the workout for Nicks is a "just in case" workout for future worries, according to NFL reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala.
The Giants will also reportedly be taking a look at NFL free agent Chris Cooley, who has not played since 2012, according Ebenezer Samuel of the NY Daily News. This move seems like a safety precaution as the Giants already have two healthy tight ends in Larry Donnell and Daniel Fells, but third string tight end Jerome Cunningham suffered a knee injury in week two and has not played since.
Cooley is 33 years old, and has not had a productive season since 2010, when he caught 77 passes for 849 yards. He seems like a longshot to make the team, but the Giants likely are being cautious with depth at their tight end position.
The Giants just game off their first win of the season over the Washington Redskins, and wide receiver Victor Cruz is expected to make his return this Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. The Giants are likely looking to tighten up their receiving positions, and after releasing Preston Parker it seems that may have room to make an addition.
